Elastic bandages have been used extensively for many years. Thus, by way of illustration, they have been used to treat strains of muscles and joints, sprains of muscles and joints, local or regional swelling, minor fractures, and simple reduced dislocations. They are also frequently used by people engaged in vigorous physical activity where some external support is desired.
These elastic bandages, often referred to as "Ace bandages," have frequently had their trailing ends secured against accidental displacement when in use by removable clips which removably engage both the trailing end of the bandage and the body thereof. These removable fasteners are frequently referred to as "butterfly clips."
The use of butterfly clips presents several problems. In the first place, unless the elastic bandage with which they are used is wound under considerable tension, it is possible for one or more of the butterfly clips to become disengaged as the patient moves around. In the second place, because elastic bandages are frequently removed and reapplied by patients, the butterfly clips are often misplaced and lost during bandage-changing operations. In the third place, the presence of sharp points on the butterfly clips allows one to accidentally stick himself during application of the bandage or during its use.
The prior art has recognized the problems with using butterfly clips on elastic bandages and has proposed several partial solutions. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 2,820,456 of Peerless et al. provides an elastic bandage containing an integral attachment buckle having a row of spaced pointed tangs or spurs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,461 of Hawie provides an elastic bandage with a permanent fastener made of a deformable material such as sheet metal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,012 of Smithers et al. provides a bandage wrap composed of an elongated fabric having exposed crimped fibers on opposite sides thereof and further having patches of minute hook elements designed to engage and grip the crimped fibers and thus secure the bandage. U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,301 of Leveen provides an elastic bandage with a permanent plastic fastener comprised of a set of jaws. However, none of these patents provides an adjustable elastic bandage which can readily and easily be used by a patient.
An adjustable elastic bandage is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,454 of Bird. The bandage of this patent is provided with upwardly directed teeth 14 which may be brought into engagement with the threads of the bandage to hold the fastener in the desired position. In order to secure this bandage, hooks 18 on one end of the bandage are inserted into holes 16 in adjustable fastener 10.
There are several problems with the adjustable bandage of the Bird patent. In the first place, it is relatively complicated to attach the hooks 18 to the holes 16. In the second place, sharp teeth 14 present no less a danger to the patient than the butterfly clips previously used. In the third place, the use of metallic hooks 18 and teeth 14 does not allow one to readily clean the bandage in a washing machine; the washing of a bandage with sharp metal points together with other clothing presents an obvious danger of damage to the other fabrics. In the fourth place, it does not appear that the fastener 10 of this patent can be utilized regardless of the direction the elastic bandage is wrapped. In the fifth place, the use of metallic components in the Bird device presents the danger that, when one or more of these components are near a joint, motion of the joint will be retarded and discomfort will be caused.
It is an object of this invention to provide an elastic bandage with a permanent, deformable, and adjustable fastener.
It is another object of this invention to provide an elastic bandage which can be washed in a washing machine without presenting the danger of damaging other clothes in the machine or of rusting.
It is another object of this inion to provide an elastic bandage which will present no danger of injury to the patient during application or use.
It is another object of this invention to provide an elastic bandage which can readily and easily be applied to or removed from the body of a patient.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an elastic bandage possessing a permanently attached fastener which can be utilized regardless of which direction the bandage is wrapped.